Sail Away
by Cykotyks
Summary: Fade away, the night is calling my name. You will stay, I'll sail away... [ONESHOT] [ANGST] [slight RenIchi]


**Summary**: _Fade away, the night is calling my name. You will stay, I'll sail away..._  
**Disclaimer**: Song and lyrics belong to The Rasmus, Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite.  
**Warning**: emo, angst, character death, and slight RenIchi (oh snap - like you didn't see that one coming)  
**Dedication**: I supposed Sprixx and Hyou-kun - Goddammit, guys, look what you've started! XD  
**Note**: This has absolutely no connection to anything I've done or will do. This is a oneshot and will never ever continue because I really cannot write this much angst and be sane... Go listen to The Rasmus' recent CDs if you need an emo fix (and that's not a bash - I love this band XD).

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Sail Away

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It was sunny. Oddly…strangely…sunny. Renji was sitting with his back against one of the solitary trees that chose to dot the desolate landscape, holding his orange-haired lover close. How long had it been? Years since the invasion of Hueco Mundo… Ever since the start of this long…disastrous...destructive war against Aizen…

_Once upon a time, we had a lot to fight for…  
We had a dream, we had a plan…  
Sparks in the air, we spread a lot of envy…  
Didn't have to care, once upon a time…_

Renji gently nuzzled the orange hair. Slowly closing his eyes, the sight of their Zanpakutou lying in the dirt, crossed haphazardly and covered in blood was burned into his memory.

_Remember when I swore,  
My love is never ending,  
And you and I will never die…  
Remember when I swore…  
We had it all…we had it all…_

Ichigo's ragged breathing hitched and he burst into a bout of hoarse, pained coughs, choking up blood.

Renji grimaced. "C'mon, Ichigo, just hang on a little longer…" Where were they? He had sent out a distress signal several minutes ago – where the hell was the fourth division? He had done all he could on his own, but in his state… Ichigo was too far gone…

_I'll sail away…it's time to leave…  
Rainy days…are yours to keep…  
Fade away…the night is calling my name…  
You will stay…I'll sail away…_

Of course, as in all horrible situations, tender memories of their life together sprang unbidden into his thoughts, reminding him of just what he was losing, as if he didn't already know…as if he wasn't hurting enough already…

_Once upon a time, we used to burn candles…  
We had a place to call a home…  
The dream that we lived…  
Was better than divine…  
Every day was like a gift, once upon a life_

Ichigo stirred again. "Ren…" he managed to gasp out.

"Don't… Ichii, please don't…" He couldn't get the word out. He knew it was silly – outrageous really, in their situation – but he feared that saying it would make it come true. Jinx it. Superstitious cautions – like a last resort, as if though everything else was failing, that one silly…childish caution would save him. A thin…invisible string of hope… Futile hope…

_Remember when you swore,  
Your love is never ending,  
And you and I would never die…  
Remember when you swore…  
We had it all…we'd never fall…_

Ichigo looked up at him, delusional and numb from the pain, his brown eyes dilated and watery. Somehow, he managed a smile, blood still dripping from the corners of his lips – not to mention the blood still oozing from the gash on the side of his head and the cut that spanned from his nose, across his cheek, to the outside edge of his ear. He really was a wretched sight…

"Aishiteru…" he whispered, barely audible in the deafening silence.

_Sail away…it's time to leave…  
Rainy days…are yours to keep…  
Fade away…the twilight is calling my name…  
You will stay…I'll sail away…_

It hurt… Heart-wrenching pain… Renji shut his eyes tight, slowing the sudden surge of tears, and buried his face in Ichigo's orange hair. "Please don't do this, Ichigo… Please don't…"

"It's okay now…" Ichigo's voice was still quiet and soft, but calm as his body started shutting down. He couldn't feel the pain anymore. For that small favor, Renji was grateful.

_No reason to lie…  
No need to pretend…  
I'm grateful to die…  
To live once again…  
I'm fearless to fly…  
And reach for the end…and reach for the end…_

"Ichigo, please… Please just hold on just a little longer… Please just hold on…" He kept repeating it as his voice died away, shortly broken by a choked sob. One more thing to say… One more faltering hope…

_Sail away…_

"Sorry…"

"Stop it, Ichii… You're going to be fine…" So many false hopes – what was he doing? Denial. Deny it and it'll go away. Deny the existence of fact… Oh, if only life and death were so simple…

_Sail away…it's time to leave…  
Rainy days…are yours to keep…  
Fade away…the night is calling my name…  
You will stay…I'll sail away…_

Renji's insides twisted as Ichigo's eyes closed. Slowly, his body relaxed and became limp in Renji's arms. "Ichii…" He didn't want to believe it, though he knew it. Deep down, every part of him knew it. He just didn't want to believe…didn't want to admit…Ichigo looked so peaceful…accepting his death…as the price to pay to save the ones he loved.

_Sail away…  
The night is calling my name…  
Sail away…_

"Aishiteru, zutto zutto…"

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**- - - - - - - - - - - - -**

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Roughly translated to "Love forever and ever" (if anybody's got a better way of saying it, I'm not sure I care xD) 


End file.
